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Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Top Ten Things I'm Thankful For.

"If you pause to think, you'll have cause to thank."

That's what the sign of our local Presbyterian church reads right now. And you know what? It's completely true. It's easy to gloss over the good things in our lives, dwelling instead on the people who have done us wrong, or the things we lack. It's tempting to tell ourselves, "I'd be happy if only..."

It's much more difficult to live in the moment. To appreciate what (and who) we have. To be happy with our lot in life and just be. So today, in honor of Thanksgiving, I thought I'd take a moment to count my blessings.

And since you're here, lovely readers, you get to count them with me.

I'm thankful for the roof over my head. I know I'm lucky to have a roof at all when so many don't. But I'm thankful for this home in particular. After years of living in dumpy apartments, drafty townhouses and crummy fixer-uppers, we built this one from the ground up. And it? Is a house I'm glad to come home to.



I'm thankful for the internet.  I know we did without it for thousands of years, but it's become so much a part of my life, I can't imagine how. And to think, fifteen years ago, most of us didn't really know what the world wide web was...

I'm thankful to have a job to call my own. As some of you know, I'm from Detroit. Which is experiencing some hard times, to say the least. Many, many of my friends and family there have lost their jobs - and most of those who are still working are waiting for the ax to fall. It makes me intensely grateful for every paycheck that gets deposited in my account.

I'm thankful for my iPod. I work in a wall-less cubicle maze - and I have the focus of an ADD gnat. Without my trusty portable music library and headphones, I would never ever get anything done. Ever.



I'm thankful for modern medicine.  A hundred years ago, I probably would  have died in childbirth. So, however much we complain about the state of the medical system in our country, let's remember how much we owe the doctors and hospitals within it.

I'm thankful for the baby upstairs. I knew having a baby would change everything. But I didn't realize how insanely grateful I would feel every time I saw that gummy smile. She's a pooping, puking miracle, and I love her more every day.



I'm thankful for my running shoes. When I absolutely need to get away? Escape is as easy as tying on those shoes. Unfortunately, I don't make use of them nearly enough, but it's good to know they're there for me when I need them.

I'm thankful for my husband.  The yin to my yang. The right to my left. We're both completely insane, but in completely different ways. There's no one I'd rather have by my side as I navigate this wacky thing we call life.

I'm thankful for chamomile tea. And chocolate. When all else fails and I think I really might lose my mind, I sit down with a hot cup of tea and a bar of dark chocolate and just chill. That combo almost always brings me back from the brink.

Most of all, I'm thankful to be me. I'm a little crazy, a lot disorganized, and there are days I would give anything to trade lives with someone else, but really? I'm one lucky little bitch. It really is good to be me.

Now head over to Oh Amanda and check out some more Top Ten lists!

11 comments:

  1. I love it! Your last paragraph is fabulous!

    I, too, would have died with my first child - even as recently as twenty years ago!

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  2. I totally agree with you with the modern medicine! Well, I agree with a lot of them, but that one stuck out to me as I, too, would likely have died in childbirth without modern medicine. Thank goodness for all they've done!

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  3. I am actually thankful for your post. I too have realized tat I am thakful for the internet!

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  4. those are wonderful things to be greatful for. Maybe I'll do a list of my own. LOVE it.

    I too am grateful for the Internet. And Twitter. And Facebook. and email. and my blog. and MMB. and Google.

    I love my computer too!

    thanks for sharing what you are thankful for.
    Have a happy thanksgiving!!!

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  5. like my new spelling for grateful...LOL!

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  6. That is a beautiful list. I especially like that you say you are "thankful to be me."

    Happy Thanksgiving!

    Holly @ 504 Main

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  7. These are great! I'm posting my "thankful" list later tonight. Wrote it earlier this week but wanted to save it for Turkey Day! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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  8. Great post....love it. Sometimes it CAN be difficult to stay focused on the good stuff...big and small.

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  9. I'd be lost without my iPod, too. There was a period of time where I thought it had died, and I thought I was going to die along with it.

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  10. I, too, made a thankful list and also have iPod, Running shoes, and my baby!

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